Hot News

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has selected Orlando, Florida and its Orange County Convention Center to host the 2011 World Education Conference (WEC), July 23-26. An estimated 3,300 meeting and event planners and executives—from approximately 30 countries—are expected to attend this annual educational conference and industry event. WEC was last held in Orlando in 1995. 

"The World Education Conference is the premier meeting industry educational conference. Orlando’s selection as the 2011 host means that meeting planners from throughout the globe will experience our great destination and our "Where Creative Minds Meet" brand," said Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

One of the largest annual events for meeting and event planners, this annual conference and expo features networking, seminars and educational events that defines the expertise level of the industry for the year, as well as offering a vital and unique opportunity for a convention center and city to showcase its destination appeal to industry leaders. "I’m extremely proud of my teams’ effort to secure this important industry meeting," declared Sain.

MPI has also confirmed that the 2012 WEC will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, the 2013 WEC will be held in Las Vegas. "Future MPI conferences will continue to deliver an exceptional educational experience that fuels the success of industry professionals" said Bruce MacMillan, President/CEO of MPI. "Our members understand the importance of experiential learning, taking full advantage of the educational and training options available at our conferences to ensure that much needed edge in an increasingly competitive global marketplace."

The Orange County Convention, one of the nation’s leading large meeting venues, features 7 million square feet of combined meeting and public space in two remarkable facilities connected by an open-air pedestrian walkwa, and includes 74 meeting rooms/235 breakout rooms; 62,182-square-foot multi-purpose room; 2,643-seat Chapin Theater and a 160-seat lecture as well as three full-service restaurants, eight food courts; and three business centers.

In addition to the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando is also known for Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort. The destinations not only boast an extraordinary hotel room inventory—113,000 guest rooms, but construction has begun on a new 1,400-room Hilton Convention Center Hotel, which is scheduled to open in the summer 2009, and will be the first hotel to connect to the Center’s North/South Concourse by a pedestrian sky bridge. The Peabody Orlando has also broken ground on a 750-room expansion this fall, adding a 32-story, 750-room guest tower. Plans include two pedestrian bridges, connecting the hotel with the Convention Center's North/South and West Concourses.